Buoyed on by his victory at Collooney, Humbert decided to bypass Sligo
and go North to join forces with the Ulster insurgents.  However, along
the way Humbert changed his mind and turned South to join up with
Midland rebels instead. By the time Humbert reached Ballinamuck many
of the Irish forces had already suffered heavy losses by the enemy.  On the
morning of the 8th of September the Franco-Irish forces left Cloone and
headed into Ballinamuck.  Humbert's rear guard, under Col. Sarrizen, was overtaken by General Crawford and surrendered.   Gen Blake's pikemen and Jobit's grenadiers came under cannon and gunfire and eventually surrendered to the English.  Humbert who had taken up position on  Shanmullagh Hill came under heavy cannon fire and had to surrender to
Gen. Lake.  The French were taken prisoner of war while the Irish were massacred by the Cavalry.  Those who survived were hanged the next day
and buried in mass graves.
Annihilation became the policy of the day as  Yeomen scoured the countryside for rebels in the days following the defeat at Ballinamuck.  When Wolfe Tone finally arrived in Lough Swilly on the 12th October he was quickly defeated by a British Flotilla, captured and condemned to death for treason.  Two years later the British delivered a final blow to the Irish when they passed the Act of Union legislation which abolished the Irish Parliament and dashed Irish hopes of Catholic emancipation.  It also marked another watershed in Irish history in that 1798 was the last time Irishmen North & South of all religious denominations fought together against the Crown.